Congress to get Bihar-like reply in Assam over infiltration, warns PM Modi

Kaliabor, Jan 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, accused the Congress of handing over Assam’s land to infiltrators for votes during its decades-long rule in the state, alleging that unchecked infiltration had severely impacted Assam’s culture, ecology and employment prospects.

Addressing a public gathering in Kaliabor after laying the foundation stone for the Rs 6,957-crore Kaziranga Elevated Corridor and virtually flagging off two Amrit Bharat trains, Modi said infiltration “kept increasing” during the Congress regime, with illegal immigrants encroaching upon forests, animal corridors and traditional institutions.

“During the Congress rule, the number of illegal occupants increased manifold. Such people are attacking our culture, disturbing the indigenous population and snatching jobs from the youth. This is a huge threat to Assam and to India,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister alleged that the Congress and its allies had protected illegal immigrants.

“I am sure Congress will get a fitting answer from Assam, just as it did in Bihar,” he said.

The Prime Minister further added that Assam’s progress is central to the development of the Northeast and, in turn, the country. He claimed that recent election results reflected a public preference for good governance, development and long-term vision.

Citing civic polls in Maharashtra and the BJP’s electoral gains in Kerala, including the election of a party mayor, Modi said the BJP had emerged as the “first choice” of voters nationwide.

“India is constantly rejecting Congress’s negative politics. They have lost the country’s faith because they have no agenda for progress,” he said, adding that the BJP government was safeguarding Assam’s identity and culture by evicting infiltrators who had encroached on land.

Turning to the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project, Modi said the initiative would provide safe passage for wildlife during floods and help protect the fragile ecosystem of the region.

He also asserted that the BJP government’s conservation efforts ensured that no rhino was killed due to poaching in Kaziranga National Park in 2025.

“India has shown the world that ecology and economy can move forward together,” he said.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a sharp attack on state Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi, accusing him of undermining Assam’s aspirations.

Sarma’s remarks came a day after Gogoi criticised the Kaziranga corridor, arguing that the funds could have been better utilised to build river embankments to address Assam’s recurring flood problem.

“You can continue to protest, but Assam has dreamt of keeping the sky as the limit and it will touch the sky. Today, no Assamese will surrender in front of a Pakistani agent or unknown people,” Sarma said.

The Chief Minister said the state government had evicted illegal occupants to establish Sankardeva’s Abhibav Kshetra at Batadrava and had cleared encroachments in Kaziranga to facilitate the construction of the elevated corridor, asserting that these steps were necessary for both cultural preservation and development.